Kel Treseder ready to take a gamble in Vegas - From the Bundaberg News Mail

(http://www.news-mail.com.au/news/kel-treseder-ready-to-take-a-gamble-in-vegas/2451135/)

VIVA LAS VEGAS: Bundaberg's Kel Treseder is ready to risk a big pay day at Supernats XVIII in Las Vegas. Photo Contributed

THE lyrics to the Frank Sinatra song This Town have rung true for millions of people in past decades – on the strip in the Nevada desert fortunes have been won while other dreams have been shattered.

Bundaberg go kart driver Kel Treseder is going back to Las Vegas to play his hand at Supernats XVIII and try to make it “his town”.

Competing again in the five-day event (November 19-23) featuring the 30 best KZ2 kart drivers in the world on a track laid out in the shadow of the Rio Hotel Casino, Treseder plans to make Vegas his “make you town”, rather than a “break you town and bring you down town”.

In the same way gamblers have risked it all against the house for the big payout, Treseder will be on track against world, United States and European champion drivers including Marco Ardigo (Italy), Rick Dreezen (Germany) and Fritz Leesmann (USA).

And with a top-10 (seventh) finish last year, Treseder is looking to double up on the success he enjoyed 12 months ago.

Treseder’s first trip to Las Vegas to race in the Supernats was in 2010 so he is aware of the quality he will face on the track, despite knowing the odds are stacked against him Treseder said there are a few things he will take into the races.

“You try and make it as normal of a race as possible. At the end of the day, it’s a kart, and engine and a racetrack so we try and take that mind set in,” Treseder said.

“But I suppose from a confidence point of view you have to be super confident.

“The guys are only human, they all breathe, we all have eyes and hands and legs and I will try and make sure they don’t run over you mentally.

“Because of their stature and their name and their name in the sport, it doesn’t mean they can’t be beaten.”

In Las Vegas there is no shortage of entertainment: from gambling to cabaret, Cirque du Soleil and freak shows, the glitter strip is a hive of activity 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

And despite this the drone of hundreds of kart engines still managed to draw a crowd.

The final day of the Supernats XVIII is called Super Sunday and 5000 spectators were expected to fill the grandstands.

The opportunity to drive and compete against the best in the world excites Treseder and he said he couldn’t wait to hit the custom-made track next week.

“It’s an honour and privilege to race at that level in my chosen sport and I’m looking forward to competing well for not only Bundaberg, but for Australian karting,” Treseder said.